Top News

Explosions as dawn breaks in Slaviansk

Explosions break the quiet on the streets of Slaviansk.
Residents say Ukrainian forces are trying to drive out separatists, dug in near the city.
People carry out their usual Saturday tasks against a backdrop if uncertainty.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SLAVIANSK RESIDENT, OLGA, SAYING:
"It's scary, especially for those with young children, they are of course afraid. We would like it to end as soon as possible. But we don't know how it will turn out, because you know how this government is. They don't understand us, we don't understand them. That's why people are shooting."
For more than a month, armed men have occupied government buildings in Slaviansk.
Separatists gave Ukrainian forces until last Thursday to leave the area. But the troops remain.
The eastern rebellion by pro-Russian separatists has shaken and scared Ukraine -- pushing Western powers into a Cold War-style confrontation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Kiev accuses of trying to destabilize Ukraine.

SPONSOREDSTORIES

Reuters is the news and media division of Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms.

*All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays.